- Research Work Description:
-
The aim of my PhD research has been to glean as much information as possible from the echo returns of single-beam acoustic
ground discrimination systems, and to develop new post-processing algorithms for characterization of marine benthic habitats.
My primary tools have been a BioSonics DT-X digital echosounder and multi-plexed 38 and 418 kHz transducers (and GIS, of
course). I have conducted extensive acoustic surveys in Palm Beach County and Palau (benthic habitat mapping of coral reefs),
Broward County (canopy height of Acropora cervicornis and gorgonians), Indian River Lagoon (biomass of seasonal drift
macroalgae, horizontal and vertical extents of muck), Sanibel-Captiva islands (potential for drift macroalgae attachment and
propagation), and the western Everglades (mapping critical seagrass habitats). A central theme of my research has been to use
other, more established remote-sensing platforms, e.g. LiDAR and optical-imaging, as backdrops for acoustic calibration. A new
(and quite enjoyable) sideline has been accuracy assessment of the NOAA benthic habitat maps currently being produced for the
Florida Keys.
I am fortunate to have a wife who is also a PhD student at NCRI; she assists me during my field work and in exchange I assist
her in monitoring coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf, northwestern Gulf of Oman, and Broward County, Florida. Between our
projects, we spend about six months in the field each year.
- Title of thesis/dissertation research project:
- PhD Dissertation: Investigations into the application of single-beam acoustic backscatter for describing shallow water
marine habitats
Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Riegl
- Academic areas of interest:
- Hydroacoustics, multivariate techniques, GIS, coral reef ecology, and resource management
- Publications
-
Foster, G., Walker, B.K., and Riegl, B., 2009. Interpretation of Single-Beam Acoustic Backscatter Using Lidar-Derived
Topographic Complexity and Benthic Habitat Classifications in a Coral Reef Environment. Journal of Coastal Research, SI53,
16-26.
Foster, K.A., Foster, G., Tourenq, C., Shuriqi, M.K., (in press, 2009) Spatial and temporal recovery patterns of coral reefs
within the Gulf of Oman (UAE) following the 2007 cyclone disturbance. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef
Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Tourenq, C., Shuriqi, M.K., Foster, K., Foster, G., Chellapermal, C., Rein, D., (2008) First record of a Bowmouth Guitarfish,
Rhina ancylostoma, in northern Oman, with an up-date on the status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in the United Arab
Emirates. Zoology in the Middle East, Vol 44, pp. 114-118.
Riegl, B., Purkis, S., Foster, K., Foster, G., (2007) Corals and Coral Reefs in the southeastern Arabian Gulf: Training
Manual. National Coral Reef Institute for Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves (SCENR) and Environmental
Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), 144 pages
Tourenq, C., Shuriqi, M.K., Foster, G., Foster, K., Chellapermal, C., Lebon, S., Rein, D., (2007) Note on Elasmobranches
(sharks and rays) of UAE and Musandam, Oman, with special mention of Bowmouth Guitarfish or Shark Ray (Rhina ancylostoma).
Tribulus, Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group, Vol 17, pp. 63-69.
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